Kerrville’s long-awaited river center reaches 90% funding mark

A $2 million donation from a Fredericksburg-based foundation has pushed the Upper Guadalupe River Center to within striking distance of full funding, organizers announced Thursday at a milestone gathering at Clint Orms Silversmiths.

The gift from the Adam R. Scripps Foundation brings the long-planned facility to roughly 90% of its construction target, UGRC Board President Layng Guerriero told supporters at the event. The center, envisioned as a public gateway to Nimitz Lake along the Guadalupe River, now needs approximately $1.5 million more to complete its capital campaign.

“This is a symbol of Kerrville’s confidence and resilience,” said Kerrville City Councilmember Brenda Hughes, who noted the project carries particular weight in the aftermath of the July 4, 2025 flood that killed 119 people across Kerr County. “This is about quality of life.”

The two-building campus will anchor Granger Macdonald Park, a one-acre riverfront parcel donated by Justin McDonald in honor of his father. That land gift and a $2.2 million allocation from Kerrville’s 2023 Quality of Life bond have helped lay the groundwork for a facility organizers say will be unlike anything the river has seen.

Planned amenities include a 200-foot boardwalk, 14 feet wide, and the Guadalupe’s first handicap-accessible floating piers — designed to allow seniors, veterans and people with mobility challenges to transfer directly into kayaks from a level surface. A 40-foot pedestrian ramp will offer gentle water entry and a new launch point for Kerrville’s annual triathlon.

The facility will feature two primary structures: an administrative and watercraft building with secure boat storage and locker rooms, and a community and education center with a flexible multipurpose space. Architectural details include a standing seam metal roof, acoustic paneling and a NanaWall system to open the interior to the outdoors for events.

Beyond recreation, organizers are positioning the center as a hands-on learning hub. Schreiner University President Dr. Charlie McCormick announced that the school plans to field a collegiate sailing team by fall 2027, with sprint kayaks also available for student recreation. Dr. Brent Ringo of the Kerrville Independent School District said K-12 students will use the center for environmental science fieldwork and access to new athletic programs.

Local Sea Scout leaders described the center as a potential pipeline to maritime careers, pointing to skills like chart reading, watercraft operation and water treatment as pathways to well-paying trades.

To honor the river and support ongoing flood recovery, the Upper Guadalupe River Authority donated cypress trees destroyed in last summer’s disaster. The UGRC milled the flood-salvaged wood and plans to auction it off, with proceeds directed toward river repair.

The concept for the center dates back roughly a decade and gained momentum with a grassroots campaign that initially raised $15,000. The project has since attracted naming opportunities ranging from $2,500 tribute tiles to a $50,000 “Fleet Level” sponsorship covering sailboats and kayaks. A 2024 Giving Tuesday drive raised $16,000 specifically for clear-bottom, illuminated kayaks.

Officials said Phase 2 of the facilities campaign is underway and that contributors can find information on naming opportunities through the UGRC.